Container enclosing movable component

ABSTRACT

A small slender container that may be used to store and dispense small quantity of fluid, such as eye medications, in a sealed environment. The content of the slender container is completely sealed and will not leak or evaporate from the container. The slender container is a small diameter squeezable slender container with a movable member enclosed within the slender container. The movable member enclosed within the slender container disrupts the surface tension of the fluid and allows the fluid to flow easily from the small diameter slender container when squeezed.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a small sealed container. More specifically, the present invention relates to a small sealed container that may be used to store and dispense small amount of fluids such as eye medications.

2. Description of Related Art

Small containers in the general form of an eye dropper are generally used to distribute and apply drops of eye medications. Such containers are usually made as small as possible because the eye medications are expensive and only a very small amount is necessary. However, due to the surface tension of the eye medications, there is a limitation to how small of a diameter of the container may be used and still allow the eye medications to be dispensed from the container.

If the diameter of the container is too small, the eye medications cannot be dispensed from the container due to the surface tension of the fluid. If the diameter of the container is large, the eye medications in the container can be easily dispensed. However, since the eye medications are expensive and only a few drops is necessary per use, a large diameter container is not economical or practical. Furthermore, a larger multi-use container will require preservatives for the eye medication or risk contamination. Preservatives are not desirable in eye medications and may irritate the eyes.

There is a point where the diameter of the container is made as small as possible and yet still allows the eye medications in the container to be dispensed with ease. Most single-dose eye medications containers are made with diameters at this minimum diameter. However, even at this minimum diameter, the eye medications container is still too large and not economical for dispensing drops of eye medications. Much more eye medications than necessary for a single use must still be filled in this minimal sized container or the container will have a large void that appears to be left from evaporated eye medications.

Although a smaller diameter container is desirable, it has not been possible due to the physical phenomenon of surface tension of the eye medications that limits how small a diameter the container may have. The present invention is a simple yet effective means to allow a very small diameter container to be used for dispensing drops of eye medications efficiently and economically.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a small slender container that may be used to store small quantity of fluid, such as eye medications, in a sealed environment and easily dispenses the fluid as desired. The content of the slender container is completely sealed and will not leak or evaporate from the container. The slender container is a small diameter squeezable slender container with a movable member enclosed within the slender container. The movable member enclosed within the slender container disrupts the surface tension of the fluid and allows the fluid to flow easily from the small diameter slender container when squeezed. Virtually all of the enclosed fluid will be extracted from the container with no fluid remaining in the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the container enclosing movable component.

FIG. 2 shows another view of the preferred embodiment of the container enclosing movable component.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the container enclosing movable component.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the container enclosing movable component.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the container enclosing movable component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following description and figures are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting. Other embodiments of this invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of this description.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the preferred embodiment of the container enclosing movable component 1. The container enclosing movable component 1 has a squeezable elongated housing 2 with two ends that are sealed and encloses a fluid 3. An opening means 4 in the form of a score on the elongated housing 2 is located at a reduced section near one end of the elongated housing 2. The opening means 4 may alternatively be a frangible section, a thin walled section, a twist off cap, or other similar means. An elongated member 5 with a smaller diameter and shorter length than the elongated housing 2 is enclosed in the elongated housing 2 and has a specific gravity greater than that of the enclosed fluid 3 such that the elongated member 5 is movable relative to the enclosed fluid 3 and will sink to the bottom of the enclosed fluid 3. In the preferred embodiment, the elongated member 5 is a solid cylindrical shaft. The elongated member 5 has a cross section greater than that of the opening resulting from operating the opening means 4 such that after the opening means 4 is operated to open the elongated housing 2, the elongated member 5 will not protrude from the resulting opening. When the elongated housing 2 is inverted, the elongated member 5 will move down and enable the fluid 3 to overcome its surface tension to also move down along with the elongated member 5 towards the bottom of the inverted elongated housing 2.

The fluid 3 is sealed within the elongated housing 2 until released through the opening means 4. When the container enclosing movable component 1 is opened by the opening means 4, inverted so that the opened end is directed downward whereby both the fluid 3 and the elongate member 5 moves towards the opening, and squeezed, the fluid 3 in the elongated housing 2 will be released from the elongated housing 2 in controlled drop forms. In the preferred embodiment, the length of the elongated member 5 is only slightly shorter than the elongated housing 2 such that the movement of the elongated member 5 towards the opening is relatively small thereby preventing forced ejection of the fluid 3 from the elongated housing 2 due to the movement of the elongated member 5. Virtually all of the enclosed fluid 3 in the elongated housing 2 will be extracted from the elongated housing 2 after just a few squeezes of the elongated housing 2.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the container enclosing movable component 1 wherein the elongated member 6 enclosed in the elongated housing 2 is a hollow tube with a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the elongated housing 2 but greater than the opening at the opening means 4. The hollow tube is slightly shorter than the elongated housing 2 and will not exit the elongated housing 2 from the opening after the elongated housing 2 is opened. Furthermore, the hollow tube has a specific gravity greater than that of the enclosed fluid 3 such that the hollow tube is movable relative to the enclosed fluid 3 and will sink to the bottom of the enclosed fluid 3.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the container enclosing movable component 1 wherein the elongated housing 2 enclosed two movable components 7, 8. One movable component 7 has a specific gravity greater than the enclosed fluid 3 such that it will sink to the bottom of the fluid 3. The other movable component 8 has a specific gravity smaller than the enclosed fluid 3 such that it will float to the top of the enclosed fluid 3. The lengths of the movable components 7, 8 are such that a portion of each of the movable component will overlap the other movable component such that when one component 7 is sunk at the bottom of the elongated housing 2 and the other component 8 is floating at the top of the fluid 3, there is an overlap that will provide a continuous disruption of the surface tension of the enclosed fluid 3 from the bottom of the elongated housing 2 to the top of the elongated housing 2.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the container enclosing movable component 1. In this embodiment, the container enclosing movable component 1 has a squeezable elongated housing 2 with two ends that are sealed and encloses a fluid 3. An opening means 4 is located at a reduced section near one end of the elongated housing 2. An elongated member 9 is affixed to a sealed end 10 of the elongated housing 2. A movable member 11 with a specific gravity greater than that of the enclosed fluid 3 such that the movable member 11 is movable relative to the enclosed fluid 3 and will sink to the bottom of the enclosed fluid 3. In the preferred embodiment, the movable member 11 is a ring surrounding the elongated member 9. The movable member 11 may alternatively be a sphere with a specific gravity greater than that of the enclosed fluid 3. When the elongated housing 2 is inverted, the movable member 11 will move down resulting in a disturbance in the fluid 3 and enable the fluid 3 to overcome its surface tension to also move down along the elongated member 9 towards the bottom of the inverted elongated housing 2.

Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof. 

1. A container enclosing movable component comprising: a sealed elongated housing with an opening means near an end of said elongated housing; a fluid enclosed in said elongated housing; and a movable member enclosed within said sealed elongated housing; wherein after said elongated housing is opened through the opening means, the enclosed fluid is dispensed from said elongated housing.
 2. A container enclosing movable component as in claim 1, wherein said elongated housing is squeezable.
 3. A container enclosing movable component as in claim 1, wherein the opening means is a scoring, a frangible section, or a thin section that can be broken open to release the fluid in said elongated housing.
 4. A container enclosing movable component as in claim 1, wherein said movable member has a specific gravity greater than said fluid.
 5. A container enclosing movable component as in claim 1, wherein said movable member is an elongated cylindrical shaft.
 6. A container enclosing movable component as in claim 1, wherein said movable member is a hollow tube.
 7. A container enclosing movable component comprising: a sealed elongated housing with an opening means near an end of said elongated housing; a fluid enclosed in said elongated housing; a first movable member enclosed within said sealed elongated housing; and a second movable member enclosed within said sealed elongated housing; wherein after said elongated housing is opened through the opening means, the enclosed fluid is dispensed from said elongated housing.
 8. A container enclosing movable component as in claim 7, wherein the opening means is a scoring, a frangible section, or a thin section that can be broken open to release the fluid in said elongated housing.
 9. A container enclosing movable component as in claim 7, wherein said first movable member has a specific gravity greater than said fluid and wherein said second movable member has a specific gravity less than said fluid.
 10. A container enclosing movable component as in claim 9, wherein said first movable member overlaps said second movable member.
 11. A container enclosing movable component comprising: a sealed elongated housing with an opening means near an end of said elongated housing; a fluid enclosed in said elongated housing; an elongated member enclosed in said elongated housing and affixed to an end of said elongated housing; and a movable member enclosed within said sealed elongated housing; wherein after said elongated housing is opened through the opening means, the enclosed fluid is dispensed from said elongated housing.
 12. A container enclosing movable component as in claim 11, wherein the opening means is a scoring, a frangible section, or a thin section that can be broken open to release the fluid in said elongated housing.
 13. A container enclosing movable component as in claim 11, wherein said movable member is a ring with specific gravity greater than said fluid and is disposed around said elongated member.
 14. A container enclosing movable component as in claim 11, wherein said movable member is a sphere with specific gravity greater than said fluid. 